Orienteering race

How usual orienteering competition looks like? Let’s take an example of local long competition in the Czech Republic. We can divide this to three parts – before start, after start and after finish.

Before start

First thing a competitor has to do, is to make an entry to desired completion –you select your category here. If you are just newcomer wanting to try the sport and you don’t have registration number, it’s usually without problems to make an entry in a competition centre. Few days ahead are published start lists (there is interval start so it’s good to know in advance your start time) and instructions (distances from parking/to start/from finish etc., some other important information – like exact length of your course).

Audience watching finishing runner in a competition centre

When you are already in competition centre, it’s good to pick up control descriptions (small piece of paper which describes where control point is situated – e.g. west corner of a fence, southeast boulder etc. – and gives you code of it, so when you arrive on it, you can check it’s a right one). Then it’s just time to change clothes to running ones and find a way to a start.

On the start, there are clocks indicating competition time – there are two possibilities now:

• Clocks are ahead (like in the Czech Republic) – that means when there is your time, enter the corridor there (it usually has three or more parts – you are one minute in each) – you are not yet running.
• Clocks show competition time (like in Finland) – that means you have to enter in advance. When they are showing your time, you are already running.

But don’t be worry, you can always ask!

But in both, they will check your chip number and, depends on a used method, you have to erase previous data from it in special control points. When you are in last part of corridor, wait for sound signal (sixth beep) and run.

After start

Now your time is running. First you have to pick up your map (if you don’t receive it before start) and then run to map start – way is marked and ended with orienteering flag, it’s obligatory to run there. Now you start your own race, select way to first control (you have to take them in the order). When you find it, punch electronic part of it with your chip and run to another one. It’s easy.

Punching control

Then there is a last control (usually same for all categories) and marked way to finish, which you have to run. There, under transparent, is finish control (it’s not in your control descriptions as normal control), punch it and by this stop your competition time.

After finish

Now, ranging competition from competition, you may have to give your map to bags, so the others, who haven’t run yet, wouldn’t see it. It’s a matter of fair play, but don’t be worry, you will get your map back after start of the last competitor, so don’t forget to pick it up.

After giving away a map, you have to have your chip read – organizers will download data from it and give you split times or at least say you time and whether is everything OK. Now you can go back home or chat with friend and talk about your route choices and compare your splits. For many people is this part of competition at least equal to running their course. When you will get home, you can check final results and splits on the internet on competition website.

Orienteering is a great fun – so try it, it’s not difficult. You will enjoy some adventure in the nature and find many good friends there. For sure.